Fortunately, the time of Tremaine’s immersion had not been of long duration; and under these vigorous efforts of the energetic life-savers, he soon opened his eyes.
Shortly afterward he was able to sit up, though he still felt weak. Everyone experienced a great sensation of relief. The sudden black cloud that had fallen on the new camp had drifted away, thanks to their intimate knowledge of what was required in a case of near-drowning.
There is not a summer passes but that the precious lives of scores of boys are imperiled when in swimming; and since the scout movement took root in this country, the records show that in innumerable instances fatal results have been avoided simply through the knowledge that membership in that organization entails on all who expect to attain the rank of second or first-class scout.
Tremaine admitted that he had been very unwise to undertake that passage of the rushing rapids. He seemed humble enough, and thankful that he had such loyal and dependable comrades near at hand.
“I’ve always boasted about my swimming,” he contritely explained to Hugh, after the scout master had gently taken him to task for his recklessness, “and I think I could have made the crossing all right only for that wave dashing me against a sunken rock. It clipped me on the side of the head, and made me feel sick. After that I guess I got scared and near frantic, for I felt that I was in danger of being drowned out there in all that foam and swirling waters. But I’ve had a lesson, Hugh, and I promise you after this ‘I’ll look before I leap.’”
“A good motto for every scout to keep in mind,” remarked Alec Sands, who was hovering near, since he had taken quite a liking for the new boy. “I used to be just as quick on the trigger as you, Harold; and let me tell you it got me into no end of scrapes. I’m beginning to see things differently now; and a heap of that is due to my knowing Hugh Hardin better.”
If Hugh heard these last words as he hurried away to hunt up the several parts of his clothes, they must have given him considerable satisfaction. Making a friend out of a bitter enemy was always a favorite diversion of the young scout master; and nothing he ever did gave him more deep-seated pleasure than the conversion of Alec Sands.
Tremaine was soon able to get on his feet and dress. He said his head hurt somewhat where he had struck it on the rock, and he felt a bit weak, but expected he would be all right by another day.
Hugh dressed the bruise with some soothing salve he carried in his medicine kit, and the value of which he had tested on more than one occasion in the past.
The afternoon was wearing away by now. Some of the boys had made little journeys around the neighborhood so as to get an idea of what their surroundings were like. They had been warned not to go far toward the southwest; and if they chanced to run across any foreigners not to do anything to annoy them, since they were very excitable.